Jayden laughed. “You look rather uncomfortable, Bruce,” he said.

“Well, I don’t kiss guys, now,” Bruce said quickly, casting a sideways glance at Chase and Owen.

Jayden and Ava looked at each other and Ava wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Wow, I totally wasn’t going to ask you to kiss a guy,” she said. “But I mean, if you’re into that, more power to you.”

Bruce sighed, exasperated. “But I’m not into that!”

The whole experience had confused him. Why did they – and he, apparently – want to see two girls kissing, but not two guys? Wasn’t it just the same thing? Why was one considered better than the other? And what had just happened to him while he was watching Sandra and Jeannie’s performance in the movie?

“I – I think I have to go,” Bruce said, standing up. With all the thinking he’d done in the past twenty seconds, he was beginning to feel lightheaded.

“What about Jessica and Elizabeth?” Jayden asked.

“Oh, I guess I have to take them home,” Bruce said. “But I can only fit one of them in my Porsche.”

Jayden shrugged. “Even if you could fit both of them in the car, what would you do with them when you got there? Dump them off on the front porch of the attractive, split-level ranch?” he asked. “I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield would just love that.”

“I’ve dumped passed-out girls on porches before,” Bruce said defensively. “How do you think every date with Regina Morrow ended?”

“I have no idea who you’re talking about, but what I think Jayden is trying to say is that you might as well leave Jessica and Elizabeth here,” Ava said. She gave Bruce a sly smile. “We’ll take very good care of them, won’t we, boys?”

Bruce felt kind of weird about leaving them there, but he wasn’t sure what else he could do. Besides, he reasoned, what’s the worst that could happen? Jayden and Ava could maybe persuade Jessica and Elizabeth to kiss each other on camera, and that wouldn’t be so bad. In fact, it might be really hot, Bruce thought.

“Well, okay,” Bruce said slowly. “Thanks a lot, man.” He shook Jayden’s hand. “See you later.”

Ava escorted Bruce to the door and locked it behind him. “He’s kind of cute,” she said to Jayden.

“Whatever,” Jayden said. “Come on, help me get these two into bed.”

 

Elizabeth’s head was pounding. She cracked one eye open. The room was dim, but a thin shaft of sunlight gave her just enough light to see by. She wasn’t in her own bedroom, that was for sure. Instead of the bland cream walls she was used to, she was facing a wood-paneled wall with a large window set in it. The curtains were a dingy gold color, and Elizabeth could make out a large stain on one of them. How on earth a stain got on a curtain, she would never know.

She opened the other eye and rolled over. Jessica was fast asleep next to her, snoring softly. Elizabeth wasn’t aware her twin snored, and she stifled a giggle so as not to wake Jessica. Elizabeth felt slightly cold, and then she realized half of the top of her dress was pulled down, exposing her breast. Her body ached all over from sleeping in the sequined gown.

Leaning up to peer over Jessica, she could faintly make out Jayden in the other bed, and on the other side of him, someone was snuggled under a pile of covers.

So we’re in a hotel room, Elizabeth thought. But how did we get here? The last thing I remember, Bruce and I were at Miller’s Point.

She shook her twin’s shoulder, but Jessica didn’t stir. “Jessica,” she hissed. “Wake up!”

Jessica moaned and rolled over, turning her back to Elizabeth. Elizabeth shook her again, harder this time. “Jess!” she whispered, louder than she had intended to. Elizabeth shot a glance over at the other bed, but Jayden hadn’t woken up.

“What is it, Lizzie?” Jessica moaned. “Leave me alone. We don’t have school today.”

“I know that, you moron,” Elizabeth whispered. “But where the hell are we?”

“We’re sleeping,” Jessica whined, pulling the sheets over her head. “Go away.”

Elizabeth sat up and pulled the sheets back down, exposing Jessica to the air. “Come on,” she said, rubbing her forehead. “We need to leave.”

“Leave?” Jessica asked sleepily. “But I’m having such a good dream.”

Elizabeth dragged her twin into a sitting position. Jessica opened her eyes. “Ugh, stop it, Liz,” she said. “I feel like shit.”

“Jessica, do you remember anything about last night?” Elizabeth asked soberly.

“Um, I remember—” Jessica paused and put a hand over her eyes. “I remember driving to Miller’s Point, and Jayden and I were about to get busy when you and Bruce pulled up, and then I was furious, but Jayden made me smoke a joint so I would calm the fuck down, and then I did, and you were hanging out of Bruce’s car, really, really drunk, and then you sort of, kind of said you’d star in the movie with me again, and then we all came back here, and you fell asleep and I drank something fruity and fell asleep and then here we are.”

“Mom and Dad are going to kill us!” Elizabeth said, searching frantically on the floor for her shoes.

“Mom and Dad aren’t going to kill us,” Jessica said condescendingly. “I took care of it.”

“You took care of it?” Elizabeth asked skeptically.

“Sure,” Jessica said, yawning. “I figured you’d be spending the night with Bruce and I’d be spending the night with Jayden, so I told Mom and Dad there was an after-party at Lila’s and we’d be sleeping there.” She paused, a look of disgust passing over her pretty face. “I wasn’t planning on spending the night with you.”

Elizabeth could have kissed her twin. Jessica’s scheming had saved the both of them, for once! Instead, she threw her arms around Jessica in a big hug.

“Chill out, Lizzie,” Jessica mumbled. “Can we go get something to eat? I’m starving.”

Elizabeth laughed. “First, I think we need a ride, Jess,” she said.

“Call Bruce or something,” Jessica said. “Or I can wake Jayden.”

Elizabeth put a hand on her twin’s arm. “Wait,” she said. “He looks pretty tired. I’ll just call Bruce.”

“Okay, okay,” Jessica mumbled. She stretched her legs out and stood up. Jessica caught side of herself in the mirror above the TV. “I look terrible!” she complained. Her hair was flat on one side and stuck up on the other, and her ample eye makeup had migrated halfway down her cheeks.

“If you look terrible, I bet I look ten times worse!” Elizabeth said, giggling.

Jessica tore her eyes away from her own reflection long enough to give Elizabeth a sweeping up-and-down glance. “Actually, Lizzie, you don’t look half bad,” Jessica admitted. Usually, she was the first one to belittle her twin’s looks, but Jessica had to hand it to Elizabeth. Her sister’s minimalist style held up much better than her own after a night of hard-core drinking and catfighting. “I mean, sure, you’re kind of pale, but that’s about it.”

Elizabeth tugged at the torn half of her dress. “I can’t believe this is ripped already,” she said, frowning. “That’s what I get for not dressing sensibly, I guess.”

Jessica dismissed her with a wave of her hand. “Never mind,” she said. “Just call Bruce. We definitely need a ride to the Dairi Burger.”

“Does the Dairi Burger serve breakfast?” Elizabeth asked doubtfully.

“Who cares?” Jessica asked, fluffing her hair in front of the mirror. “I could totally go for a double cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake.”

“Gross,” Elizabeth said. “I can’t believe I had that one beer last night. Do you know how many calories are in a beer?”

“Too bad you didn’t puke it up, Liz,” Jessica replied. She turned to her sister. “So, are you calling Bruce, or not?”

“All right, I’ll call him,” Elizabeth said. She picked up the telephone and dialed Bruce’s number under the watchful eye of her sister.

“Hey, Bruce,” Elizabeth said when he answered. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good,” he said. “Did you and Jessica make it home all right?”

“Actually, we need a ride,” Elizabeth said. “Would you mind picking us up and taking us to the Dairi Burger? Jessica’s starving.”

“Well, Liz, I would, but, uh, I have a – a tennis tournament today, and I really can’t make it,” he said, stumbling over his words. “I’m really sorry, Liz,” he added.

“No, that’s okay,” she said. “Thanks anyway.”

“Hey, I’ll see you at the party tonight, though, right?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah,” Elizabeth answered. “See you tonight.”

She hung up the phone and turned to face Jessica, who had her hands on her hips.

“Well?” Jessica asked.

“He can’t pick us up,” Elizabeth said. “He’s got a tennis tournament.” But she had an uneasy feeling about Bruce’s tennis tournament. He had sounded strange on the phone. And he’d never mentioned a tennis tournament to her.

“Let’s just wake up Jayden, then,” Jessica said, throwing the covers off Jayden to reveal him stretched out in just a pair of boxer shorts. “Wake up, Jayden,” she said sweetly.

Elizabeth stood uncomfortably in the center of the room, holding up her broken dress.

“Hey, ladies,” Jayden said sleepily, opening his eyes.

Jessica sat down next to him on the bed. “Scoot over,” she commanded.

“Can’t,” Jayden mumbled. “Ava’s right here. Bitch is like a damn rock in her sleep. She won’t budge.”

“Ava’s in the bed with you?” Jessica shrieked, throwing back the sheets on Ava’s side of the bed.

“Oh god,” Elizabeth said, quickly turning her head. Ava wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing.

“And she’s naked?” Jessica cried, giving Jayden an evil look.

“So?” Jayden asked. “It’s just Ava.”

Ava opened an eye. “Give me back the covers, Jess,” she said. “It’s fucking freezing in here.”

Jessica threw the sheets back over Ava in a fit of rage. “Here you go, slut,” she spat.

Jayden jumped up. “Jessica, honey, chill out,” he said, reaching out to grab Jessica’s wrist.

Jessica snatched her arm away from Jayden’s grasp. “I am not your honey, and I will not chill out!” she raged. “I cannot believe you!”

Elizabeth looked back and forth between the two of them. Jessica and Jayden were each filled with equal parts of fury and passion. And then, the unexpected happened.

Jayden grabbed Jessica by the shoulders and gave her a long, forceful kiss. Jessica relented and returned the kiss. The two of them practically knocked Elizabeth to the ground in their haste to get to the bed Jessica and Elizabeth had slept in.

“I love you, Jessica Wakefield,” Jayden said in between passionate kisses. “Even if you are a crazy, psychotic bitch.”

“And I love you,” Jessica breathed.

Elizabeth flopped down on the bed Ava was sleeping in. Jessica seemed to have forgotten the double cheeseburger, fries and chocolate milkshake she had been craving. While she waited for Jessica and Jayden to consummate their relationship, Elizabeth pulled her notebook out from her cleavage and began to write.

I can’t believe everything that’s happened in the past few days, Elizabeth wrote, chewing on the end of her pencil thoughtfully and trying not to look at Jessica and Jayden. I got into huge fights with my best friend, my twin sister and my boyfriend, and then I made up with them. I found out that there’s more to Bruce Patman than just date rape. And now I’m watching – oh, god, I think I’m going to throw up!

Elizabeth stopped writing and shoved the notebook and pencil back into her cleavage. She had to leave the motel room – and fast. The sights and sounds from the other bed were really grossing her out. Elizabeth stepped out into the bright sunlight and shut the door behind her. It was shaping up to be another perfect day in Sweet Valley.

It looked like Elizabeth wasn’t too far from the beach, so she headed toward it to kill some time. Maybe by the time she finished her walk on the beach, Jessica and Jayden would be through.

She stopped to slip off her shoes. They were killing her. Elizabeth walked barefoot the rest of the way to the beach, the asphalt hot on the soles of her feet. She was lost in thought. Elizabeth didn’t think she and Bruce had done that last night, but she couldn’t remember a thing, so she supposed it was possible. Maybe that’s why he was acting so weird on the phone, Elizabeth thought.

The beach was strangely deserted for a Saturday morning. Usually, it was packed with Sweet Valley High students, but no one was in sight. It was probably better that way, Elizabeth thought. She looked a mess. And she just wanted to be alone. She walked along the water, letting the waves break over her legs. Spray from the salt water misted her face and mixed with the tears she didn’t even realize were flowing.

Why am I crying? Elizabeth thought. Is it Jessica? Is it because I feel like she’s leaving me behind?

Elizabeth walked until she could hardly walk anymore. Up ahead, she could make out a figure sitting on a rock, staring out to the horizon. As she got closer, she could see that it was a boy – more specifically, it was Bruce Patman. When Elizabeth realized who it was, she nearly turned around, but something willed her forward.

“Hey, Bruce,” Elizabeth said softly, digging her foot into the wet sand.

“Hi, Elizabeth,” he answered.

“How was your tennis tournament?” she asked, careful to hide the suspicion in her voice.

Bruce smiled apologetically. “I guess by now you’ve figured out there’s no tennis tournament, huh?” he asked.

“I’m not stupid, Bruce,” Elizabeth said evenly. “But I’d like to know why you lied to me.”

He patted the rock beside him. “Do you want to have a seat?” he asked.

“No, thanks,” she replied, crossing her arms. “I’ll stand.”

He nodded. “I owe you an apology, Elizabeth,” he said. “Something weird happened last night, and the truth is, I was a little scared to face you again.”

Elizabeth gasped. “We didn’t – did we?” she asked.

Bruce shook his head sadly. “No, we didn’t,” he said. “I mean, we were going to, but we didn’t.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good,” she said.

“But something else happened,” he said.

“What?” Elizabeth asked.

“Well, you and Jessica, you were passed out, and I – I didn’t even have the urge to date rape you,” Bruce said slowly. “I mean, it was the perfect opportunity. Just perfect – sleazy motel room; you, drunk out of your mind and passed out; Jayden’s film – which was totally hot, by the way—”

Elizabeth cut him off. “You mean you saw the film?”

Bruce nodded. “Well, yeah,” he said. “Part of it. It’s not finished yet or anything. But Jayden hooked up one of the cameras and let me watch some of it. Well, until I had an accident and he had to lend me some crazy Hawaiian-print shorts.”

“And what do you mean the film was totally hot?” Elizabeth asked. “What was in it?”

“Well, I only saw maybe about five minutes of it,” Bruce said. “But it was Sandra Bacon and Jeannie West, kissing.”

“Kissing Jayden?” Elizabeth asked, alarmed.

“No,” Bruce said, sighing in frustration. “Kissing each other!”

“Each other!” Elizabeth exclaimed.

“I know, right?” Bruce asked, laughing. “And they were taking their clothes off. I’m telling you, it was totally hot.”

“So that’s why everyone has been acting so weird!” Elizabeth cried. “Jayden’s film has driven them all crazy!”

“Well, now, I don’t know about that,” Bruce said. “I always thought there was something strange about Sandra and Jeannie. You never saw one with out the other. And, I mean, Jeannie was dating a gay guy – it was the perfect cover!”

“No, no, no,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “Don’t you see – no one dressed in skimpy clothes or even thought about doing … that … before Jayden came to town. It all started after he began filming here.”

“I don’t know about you, but I think it’s really added a lot to Sweet Valley,” Bruce said. “I’ve never been happier!”

“Your car isn’t too far from here, is it, Bruce?” Elizabeth asked. “We have to go stop Jessica!”

“Stop Jessica from what?” Bruce asked, fishing the keys to his Porsche out of his jeans pocket.

“Participating in that film!” Elizabeth cried with determination, grabbing Bruce’s hand and pulling him off the rock. “Let’s go!”

 

Eleven

 

Bruce pulled into the parking lot of the Sweet Valley Motel, his tires squealing. He stopped the car in a parking spot just outside Jayden’s room. Before he had even turned off the ignition, Elizabeth had jumped out the car and was heading for the door.

“Jessica!” she called, pounding on the door. “Jessica! Are you in there!”

But there was no answer. Bruce joined Elizabeth and knocked loudly on the door.

“Jessica!” Bruce yelled. “Open the door, Jessica!”

“What if she’s not here?” Elizabeth asked, worried. She turned to Bruce. “Can you see anything through the window?”

The curtains were drawn, but there was a small crack in between them, and Bruce tried to get a glimpse inside the room. “I can’t see anything,” he said, shading his eyes with his hand. “It’s really dark inside there.”

“Jessica! Open this door right now!” Elizabeth screamed, her voice rising in panic.

“Come on, Jess,” Bruce pleaded through the door.

“It’s no use,” Elizabeth said, sighing and slumping to the ground, her back against the door. She covered her face with her hands and began crying. “I’ve lost Jessica for good.”

Bruce knelt down to comfort Elizabeth. He pulled her close, taking care not to make the top of her dress slip down even farther as he did so.

“It’s okay,” he said, kissing the top of Elizabeth’s head. “We’ll find her.”

Someone stuck their head out of the door two doors down from the room Elizabeth and Bruce were trying to get into.

“Could you keep it down out there?” A female voice asked, annoyed. “We’re trying to film porn in here!”

The voice sounded strangely familiar. Elizabeth sniffed and wiped at her eyes with her hands. “Jess?” she asked, raising her head to look at the person who had spoken.

“Of course it’s me,” Jessica snapped. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Oh, Jessica,” Elizabeth cried, jumping up and running over to her twin. “I’m so glad we found you!”

Jessica stuck her head even farther out the door. “What is he doing here?” she asked, pointing at Bruce. “I thought he was off playing volleyball or something.”

“I was helping Elizabeth try to find you,” Bruce answered gently, slipping an arm around Elizabeth’s waist.

“Please don’t film the movie, Jess,” Elizabeth pleaded, her eyes imploring Jessica to listen to her. “It’s not what you think it is.”

Jessica shrunk back into the room. “I know exactly what it is,” she said, her voice even.

“Jessica, please,” Elizabeth begged, following her twin into the room. She gasped when she saw the inside of the room. Jessica was standing in front of her, wearing nothing but a towel. Ava was still in the bed she’d occupied earlier that morning, but she was sitting straight up, covered only by the white bedsheet, which clung to her body and perfectly outlined her figure. Bright lights illuminated the bed, and several cameras were pointed at Ava, a red light blinking on each one of them. Jayden stood over by the cameras, peering through the eyepiece on one of them.

“We’re in the middle of taping,” Jessica hissed. “You need to leave – now.”

Bruce followed Elizabeth into the room. “Wow,” he said, looking around.

Jayden looked up from the camera. “Oh, what now?” he asked, exasperated.

“Nothing, sweetie,” Jessica said through clenched teeth. She gave Elizabeth a shove toward the door. “Get out of there, right now!”

“So you’d rather film hot girl-on-girl action with – with a complete stranger?” Elizabeth sputtered. “Instead of your own twin sister?”

“Yes, I would!” Jessica yelled, crossing her arms over her chest. “At least Ava is a size zero!”

Elizabeth jumped back as if she’d been slapped. “That was low, Jess,” she said. “Even for you.”

“Well, it’s true,” Jessica said, pouting. “And you’re too much of a prude to do anything, anyway. You would make it the most boring girl-on-girl scene ever!”

“Oh, shut up,” Elizabeth snapped. “I’m so sick of you, Jessica! All you ever think about is yourself! We get into a fight and make up every five minutes, and I’m so over it! I’m through being twins with you!”

“Get a hold of yourself, Liz,” Jessica snapped, slapping her twin across the face.

“Ouch!” Elizabeth cried, holding her reddened cheek in shock. She pulled her hand back and smacked Jessica right back.

“You absolute bitch!” Jessica screamed, grabbing Elizabeth by the hair. She slammed Elizabeth onto the bed, narrowly missing Ava, who rolled out of the way just in time. As Jessica proceeded to choke Elizabeth, the towel slipped down, revealing a perfectly proportioned pair of Wakefield breasts to the camera.

Elizabeth struggled to get out of Jessica’s grasp. She reached up and clawed at Jessica’s back.

“Ouch!” Jessica cried, arching back and letting go of Elizabeth’s neck.

Seizing the opportunity, Elizabeth rolled on top of her twin and began to choke Jessica. “How do you like it, bitch?” she snarled, leaning down to get all up in Jessica’s face.

Jessica managed to bite Elizabeth on the chin. Elizabeth rolled off Jessica in pain, her dress falling down to reveal yet another perfectly proportioned pair of Wakefield breasts to the camera.

Ava and Bruce glanced at Jayden. He was getting everything on camera – and he looked super excited.

“I can’t believe you bit me on the fucking chin!” Elizabeth cried, holding her chin.

“Serves you right,” Jessica said, panting. “You shouldn’t have been choking me.”

“You choked me first,” Elizabeth said, coughing. “I bet I have a pair of perfect size six handprints on my neck.”

Jessica squinted at her twin. “Yeah, you do,” she said.

“Well, so do you,” Elizabeth observed. “So I guess we’re identical again.”

“Except for the bite mark on your chin,” Jessica said, laughing. “So I guess you’ll have to bite me back.”

Elizabeth giggled. “If you insist,” she said. She leaned down and gave her twin a sharp nip on the chin.

“Fuck!” Jessica cried in pain.

“You totally should have kissed her, Elizabeth,” Bruce interjected.

Elizabeth looked at Bruce doubtfully. “I don’t think so, Bruce,” she said. “I think the Wakefield motto is ‘Make war, not love.’”

“No, you really should have kissed her,” Jayden said. “It would have made the scene much more believable.”

“Believable?” Elizabeth asked. “Who in their right mind is going to believe a gorgeous pair of blonde-haired, blue-green-eyed, perfect size-six twins with giant boobs really exists?”

“I believe,” Bruce said, his voice trembling with emotion. “I believe.” He began to clap, slowly at first, as Ava and Jayden joined him in applauding the Wakefield twins.

“Oh, Bruce,” Elizabeth said, sitting up, her eyes misty with tears. “I fucking love you.”

“I love you, too, Elizabeth,” he said, throwing his arms around her and kissing her passionately on the lips. “You are a totally fine piece of ass.”

And as Jayden’s cameras continued to roll, Bruce Patman made his film debut as the first male student from Sweet Valley High to star in the “Skanks Gone Stupid” direct-to-DVD series.

 

Twelve

 

Elizabeth towel dried her hair, gazing at her reflection in the mirror as she did so. She was surprised, but she didn’t look any different, she decided.

“The same old Elizabeth,” she said to her reflection, grinning.

Jessica pounded on the door of the bathroom they both shared. “Are you done in there, Elizabeth?” she called. “I need to blow dry my hair.”

“I’ll be done in a minute,” Elizabeth called through the door. She carefully combed her hair and tightened the towel wrapped around her body.

Elizabeth cracked open the door to Jessica’s room. “I’m done, Jessica,” she said.

“Thanks,” Jessica said, hopping up off her bed and following Elizabeth into the bathroom. “What a day it’s been, huh, Lizzie?”

“Yeah,” Elizabeth said, pausing in the doorway to her own bedroom. “It has been quite a day.”

“Look at you,” Jessica said, smiling at her twin as she picked up a hairbrush. “You can barely wipe the smile off your face!”

“Stop, Jessica,” Elizabeth said, blushing and giggling.

“Not that I can blame you,” Jessica continued, her eyes darting up to look at Elizabeth in the mirror. “Bruce is very well-endowed.”

Elizabeth laughed. “You’re so shallow, Jess,” she said.

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” Jessica pressed.

“Yes, it’s true,” Elizabeth admitted. “But that’s not why I like him, Jessica.”

“I know, I know;” Jessica said, rolling her eyes. “It was the technique, right? I mean, Bruce seemed a little more attentive than Jayden. Jayden was just kind of in, out, in, out, in, out, done. You know?”

Elizabeth cleared her throat nervously. “Well, in any case, at least we’ve had the experience, right?” she asked.

“You know, Elizabeth, I was thinking,” Jessica began. “Do you remember when we were in middle school, and you got your first period, like, a week before I got mine?”

“I don’t really recall that,” Elizabeth said with disinterest. “I wasn’t obsessed with my menstrual cycle, unlike you.”

“Well, anyway, it really bothered me that you started your period before I did,” Jessica said. “But at least I got laid before you.”

“Yeah, only about fifteen minutes before!” Elizabeth shot back, laughing.

“And fifteen minutes was about all it took,” Jessica said dryly.

Elizabeth picked her watch up off the bathroom counter and looked at it. “If you don’t hurry up and get ready, we’re going to be late for our own birthday party,” she said to Jessica.

“All right, all right,” Jessica grumbled, turning on the hair dryer.

Elizabeth walked into her room and opened the closet door. As usual, her clothes were neatly hung and wrinkle-free. And, as usual, there wasn’t a thing in her closet to wear.

“Elizabeth,” her mother called, knocking at her bedroom door. “May I come in?”

“Sure, Mom,” Elizabeth answered, flipping through the clothes in her closet.

Alice Wakefield entered the room, a large box in her hands. It was neatly wrapped in pink floral paper and topped with a huge bow.

“Bruce Patman just dropped this off for you,” Alice said, setting the package down on the bed. “He said he’ll be by in an hour to pick you up for the party.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Elizabeth said, eyeing the package.

“You’re welcome, dear,” Alice said, giving her daughter a hug. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” Elizabeth said, hugging her mom back.

As she pulled away, Alice gave her daughter a knowing smile. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say there’s something different about you,” she said.

Elizabeth laughed nervously. “Oh, no,” she said, her throat tight. “Nothing different at all.”

“Well, okay, if you say so,” Alice said, winking at her. “I’ll leave you alone to get ready.”

As she left the room, Elizabeth sat down on the bed and proceeded to unwrap the package. Inside, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, was a beautiful light blue dress. It was slim and sleek, with lace detail around the top that made it look like delicate lingerie. Elizabeth checked the tag.

“A perfect size six,” she whispered, pulling the dress out of the box and holding it up in front of her.